


The Ex-Barrayaran Garden

by Zoya1416



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Allergies, F/M, Gardening, Landscape design
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 05:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1767112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya1416/pseuds/Zoya1416
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ekaterin's Barrayaran garden has been declared a health hazard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ex-Barrayaran Garden

**Author's Note:**

> All of Vorkosigan is LMB's

Ekaterin stripped off her gardening gloves and threw them down in the stillroom. Instead of heading to the private quarters, or Miles' small parlor, she stomped straight to the kitchen and the small table used by everyone when they wanted a quiet bite. Ma Kosti, getting a bit arthritic now, was training a new assistant, and the woman was quite obviously frightened by the senior cook. 

Ekaterin said, “Got anything to drink around here?” She surveyed the shelves as if she expected brandy to jump out at her.

Ma Kosti was shocked. The Countess did not drink in the afternoon. She barely drank at all, at anytime. And now she was here in the kitchen, not appearing dissolute, but acting like a woman who was thinking about becoming dissolute.

“Milady, the drinks cabinets are in the large parlor and the Yellow Parlor. We could have put more in, but milord said two were enough to keep the children away from.”

Ekaterin wasn't listening. “What's that black stuff there? That's a coffee liqueur, isn't it? We have coffee made, right? Hand it over.”

“Milady, it's very strong. You might want to put some cream in it.”

“Okay. Cream. As long as I can get my hands on it in under a minute.”

When Ma Kosti placed the drink before her, she took a large gulp, then screwed up her face. “Ew! People drink this? Can I have some cold water instead?”

“Certainly, milady.”

Elaterin took her water in one hand, and the coffee drink in the other, and wandered back to Miles' office. 

“I hate you!”

He couldn't pretend not to know what she meant.

“It wasn't my idea. It came as a problem presented by the municipal guard who was having trouble with tourist reactions. Even visits to emergency clinics for a couple. The head of the guard knew better than to talk to me, so he put it as a question for Gregor. Then Gregor called me—you know what was going on. You were at that meeting.”

“Yes, but you didn't stick up for me!” She took a determined drink of her doctored coffee, then one of the water.

“Ekaterin, I love you more than I can say. You're my heart, my breath. I adore you.”  
She was giving her high wattage scowl.

“But—I didn't want to say this, I know you planted the garden thinking about my allergies, but so many others have them, too, and it's not the same kinds for everyone.”

She started crying. “But it's so beautiful! It's the first work I ever did, I did it for you...”

“We don't have to take them all out. There's a list of common plants. He had a list—"  
she snatched the flimsy. “That's almost a quarter of them! I was out there now!"

“You know esthetics, you were born knowing esthetics. Why can't we look at this as a positive opportunity?”

It took a great deal of tact and persuasion for Ekaterin to seriously think about ripping some thriving plants out. But she grimly pulled up sharp root, and love-lies-itching, and henbloat, and others. Surveying the desecration, she started to imagine what she would change.

000

She took Miles' hand and led him down the steps of the reconstructed garden. He couldn't see any bare spots and congratulated her.

“What I did was to push everything back about eighteen inches, except for the skellytum. I raised the borders here, with a little wall, too thin to walk on. I'm going to have to replant things because I raised the little hills. Then I put these large, sharp, decorative rocks around the borders. I put signs up for all of them, giving the scientific and common names, and put them right at the edge of the borders so hopefully parents will keep their children away. You know that was part of the problem, right? Kids getting into the bushes and getting stung or scratched?”

“Okay, then I built more water treatments to further push people away—I hate pushing people away—that ruins part of the experience!” 

He saw more beautiful little streams, flowing everywhere. 

“I put the park benches at the entrance and the exit. They'll walk faster if there's no place to sit. Lastly, I put in little bridges over the streams where I had to take out too much, made some wider paths.

“I even made up the warning signs, and the stations for masks. It's ruined!”

He climbed up on a border rock, despite a glare from her, and kissed her.

“Come on,” he said, hopping down and pulling her along. They reached the center of the garden. The Vorkosigan crest of three maple leaves against mountains shone in its mosaic glory.

“There was hardly anything here except the skellytum when we married. Your garden was beautiful then. It was beautiful before, and it's beautiful now. It's just change. I admire your sense of proportion and balance. I've loved the Barrayaran garden ever since I peeked at it when I was on Komarr. You're a wonderful gardener.”

He picked up her hand and kissed it. 

“The only thing wrong out here is that it's not soft enough to ravish you on. What do you say to a spot of ravishment tonight, my dear?” He twirled an imaginary villain's mustache.

She giggled a little. “Ravishment would be good, after the children are down.”

He was never gladder that the nursery assistants and she had trained the children to go to sleep at eight. Plenty of of time.

“Then, my fine captive,” he captured her arm under his, making a determined effort, with extra huffing and puffing for effect. “Then, my fine captive, I am hauling you off. You're in my hands now.”

“Wouldn't be in anyone else's.” She was quiet, not angry now, only laughing as he muttered “Arghh. To the hold with you, my fine prize,” and tripped away after him.


End file.
